Notice to lift the moratorium in respect of applications for community broadcasting services and radio frequency spectrum
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) hereby gives notice of the lifting of the moratorium in respect of applications for Class Community Sound Broadcasting Service Licences and applications for Radio Frequency Spectrum for purposes of providing a community broadcasting service.
ICASA will consider applications for class community sound broadcasting service licences and radio frequency spectrum for purposes of providing a community broadcasting service in line with the new Community Broadcasting Services Regulations.
The Regulations provide that ICASA must, among others:
a) publish an invitation to apply for prospective applicants to submit a pre-registration notice;
b) decide on the pre-registration notice within ninety (90) days after the closing date for submission of the pre-registration notice; and
c) where the Authority is satisfied that the applicant meets the requirements for the granting of a licence, the Authority will communicate such decision to the applicant in writing, following which the applicant may lodge the application for a community broadcasting service licence within thirty (30) days of the Authority’s written communication.
ICASA will publish an invitation for prospective applicants to submit a pre-registration notice and list of available frequencies in each district and local municipality as per the Terrestrial Broadcasting Frequency Plan 2013, within three months of the publication of this notice. The notice of the lifting of the moratorium was published on 26 July 2019.
The prospective applicants are therefore encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new Community Broadcasting Services Regulations, Process and Procedure Regulations as well as the Standard Terms and Conditions for Class Licences as they provide a guide for the application process. All these regulations are obtainable from the ICASA website i.e. www.icasa.org.za.
Media enquiries:
Paseka Maleka
Tel: 012 568 3455
Cell: 079 509 0702
Email: pmaleka@icasa.org.za
